


shaky bones

by vestigialwords



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: M/M, Protective Bucky Barnes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-12
Updated: 2014-07-12
Packaged: 2018-02-08 11:50:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 650
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1939947
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vestigialwords/pseuds/vestigialwords
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>...your metabolism burns four times faster than the average person's...</i>
</p><p>Peggy's voice echoes in Steve's memory as his thoughts drift back to his kitchen where a giant plate of cold sausage, eggs, and hash browns is sitting on his table. It's early afternoon on a Thursday, and Steve hadn't eaten since dinner the night before. He allowed himself the luxury of sleeping in that morning. This was his first mistake.</p>
            </blockquote>





	shaky bones

_...your metabolism burns four times faster than the average person's..._

Peggy's voice echoes in Steve's memory as his thoughts drift back to his kitchen where a giant plate of cold sausage, eggs, and hash browns is sitting on his table. It's early afternoon on a Thursday, and Steve hadn't eaten since dinner the night before. He allowed himself the luxury of sleeping in that morning. This was his first mistake. 

The call came in at about nine o'clock that A.I.M. was moving some dangerous cargo and the Avengers were dispatched under Code Red conditions. It was supposed to be a quick recovery mission, but no one had been counting on A.I.M. forces to be well-organized, or that they would be using Stark Industries weapons. Tony is across town, throwing a quite literally _explosive_ temper tantrum at the A.I.M. not-so-safe-anymore-house while Natasha and Clint chase down defecting agents. Steve's job is to delay the convoy for as long as possible so that Sam and Rhodey can reroute traffic and minimize civilian casualties. 

It had been about five hours since Steve left his breakfast to cool in his absence, and he hasn't had a moment to catch his breath. His temples throb like his head is about to implode. The gunshots blasts from the truck are jackhammers in his skull and he briefly considers lifting his order against shooting to kill, just to make the infernal noise _stop_. There's a deli four doors down from his position, a shwarma cart around the corner, a bar  & grill three blocks away, and he smells _all of it_. 

The convoy is getting away from him, and Steve races ahead on shaky legs, and reaches to unlatch the shield from his back. He miscalculates the last angle of his volley, has to jump farther to compensate and catch it on his arm. He rolls with the impact and ducks behind a car, lifting his shield over his head to deflect the bullets and debris raining down after he revealed his position and painted a target on his back.

A shadow darts around the car in his periphery and a bolt of panic surges up his spine. Steve pushes up on trembling legs to defend himself, but before he can stand, his back slams back against the car door. He groans with the impact and lashes out, more out of instinct than a play for tactical advantage. It's a half-hearted and shaky right hook, and his assailant bats him away with an arm made of metal.

Bucky hurls his own body down next to Steve, thumping against the car too as he takes shelter under Steve's shield. It's the first time Steve's seen him since the helicarrier, although he's not foolish enough to think that Bucky hasn't been watching him. He's wearing the mask again, so Steve can only see Bucky's eyes, but he knows that face better than his own. He doesn't need to see the curve of Bucky's mouth to know that under the rubber muzzle Bucky is chewing on his lower lip, having moved past concern and into worry. Steve breaks eye contact and lets his head fall back for a moment. Their shoulders are pressed together just like the old days, and he trusts that Bucky will protect him. Steve just... needs a moment.

There's a crackling sound next to him, and Steve lets his head loll over to look. Bucky pulls a protein bar from one of the pockets on his utility belt and rips it open. He shoves the food into Steve's hands, which are resting limp and open on his lap. Bucky nods down at it and the corner of his eyes crinkle when Steve takes a bite. 

It takes him all of twenty seconds to shove the energy bar past his lips, but when he looks up, Bucky is nowhere to be found.

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted [here](http://beccabuchanans.tumblr.com/post/89994668999/your-metabolism-burns-four-times-faster-than-the%22)


End file.
